The best restaurants in London for Easter feasting

Spring has sprung and Easter swiftly approaches, bringing with it the first four-day weekend of the year and a great excuse to gather together the whole family for a decadent feast. Once you have your gifting list dutifully crossed off and your chocolate eggs ready to go, it’s time to plan the main event by selecting one of the best restaurants in London for Easter.

For those not jetting off to sunnier climes, there is plenty to keep you occupied right here in the capital, from star-studded stage shows and blockbuster exhibitions, to seasonal set menus from London’s fine dining institutions. Whether you’re craving cake and tea, or have a hankering for a heaping of crispy roast potatoes, the city’s restaurants are providing a line-up of egg-cellent Easter menus to keep you well-fed. Read on for the best restaurants to book for a brilliant Easter banquet.

Jeru, Mayfair

Putting a decadent Middle Eastern-inspired twist on traditional spring fare, Jeru’s Easter menu does not compromise on taste and beautiful presentation. Curated by executive chef Roy Ner, the limited-edition offering utilises the very best British seasonal ingredients with a modern Middle Eastern twist and is available from 3-15 April.

Starting with classic mezze dishes, tuck into the black chickpea hummus, tuna ceviche and the popular fermented potato bread with chickpea miso butter and truffled honey. The main event stays traditional with a show-stopping lamb shoulder drizzled in milk and truffle jus, best enjoyed with Hasselback artichokes and farm lettuce salad. Finally, Easter would not be Easter without a lavish egg — and Jeru’s does not disappoint. Watch this caramel chocolate dome melt in front of your eyes to reveal cherry and sumac sorbet — an indulgent but refreshing sweet treat to finish your Easter feast.

11 Berkeley Street, W1J 8DS, visit jeru.co.uk

The Ivy Brasserie, Soho

The Soho outpost of The Ivy is celebrating spring with a dream-like menu that pays tribute to the fresh flavours of the new season. Alongside old favourites and Ivy classics, the Easter bill of fare includes three new offerings, including the extravagant All Day Dreamers set menu. Starters include a creamed cauliflower soup, pan-fried Scottish smoked haddock or Emilia Romagna cured coppa ham before a selection of seasonal dishes, including spicy jackfruit and toasted peanut bang bang salad or chargrilled, grass-fed rump steak with thick-cut chips. Those looking for a seasonal tipple will be kept well lubricated with the new Champagne Dream cocktail: a blend of Scapegrace Black gin poured over cotton candy and topped with Ivy champagne.

Alternatively, book the new Dream Champagne Dinner which is available every Friday from 6.30pm. Tuck into delicious Malaysian curried prawns or duck and asparagus vol-au-vent, served with broad beans and wholegrain mustard sauce. For the main event, a delicious chargrilled sirloin steak with a flambeìed brandy and truffle sauce or baked aubergine with red pepper tapenade, almond and cauliflower rice will satisfy, before finishing the evening with the Dream dessert: a crispy vanilla cloud with warm chocolate brownie, vanilla ice cream, and hot yuzu caramel sauce.

Children needn’t feel left out of the occasion thanks to the Little Dreamers set menu, where they can enjoy linguine with tomato sauce, grilled chicken escalope or a hamburger and chips before creating their Dream Sundae with vanilla ice cream and a range of toppings.

26-28 Broadwick Street, W1F 8JB, visit ivycollection.com

Aquavit, St James’s

Looking for something a little different this year? Opt for a Nordic twist on Easter at Aquavit, where chef Jonas Karlsson has looked to his native Sweden to create a contemporary menu available from 6-8 April. Tuck into slow-roasted lamb shank with sautéed wild garlic, young carrots and crispy Hasselback potatoes, or feast on classics such as Swedish meatballs with lingonberries, pickled cucumber and creamy potato mash. Seasonal sweetness comes in the form of the Arctic bird’s nest: a delectably creamy goat’s cheese parfait in a nest of honey tuile, finished with fresh berries, edible flowers and brownie bites.

1 Carlton Street, SW1Y 4QQ, visit aquavitrestaurants.com

The Cinnamon Club, Westminster

Settle in among the book-lined shelves of the Old Westminster Library for a decadent four-course feast inspired by the vibrant Easter celebrations of Goa, Maharashtra, Kerala and Mangalore on 9 April. Expect flavourful regional favourites by executive chef Vivek Singh, including starters of okra filled with peanut and jaggery or tandoori salmon with dill and mustard, before main courses such as botal masala spiced free range chicken breast or spinach malai kofta with stir-fried morels and tomato fenugreek sauce. For dessert, dig into a dark chocolate Easter bomb with mango and passion fruit shrikhand and hot chocolate sauce, or a Malabar-style Simnel cake with cinnamon ice cream, all washed down with a seasonal cocktail. We recommend the Spiced Apricot Bellini with Creme d’Abricot, club spice mix and prosecco.

The Old Westminster Library, SW1P 3BU, visit cinnamonclub.com

The Cadogan Arms, Chelsea

Dine at The Cadogan Arms over Easter weekend and enjoy one of its famous roast dinners. With two-Michelin star chef James Knappett and executive chef Alex Harper at the helm, the decadent Easter roast menu — available on 9 and 10 April — includes longhorn rump served with bone marrow sauce and horseradish cream and the popular half herb-fed chicken with brioche and truffle stuffing. For family-style feasts, opt for the traditional roast Herdwick leg of lamb served with wild garlic and boulangère potato available for up to six people to share. However, you also can’t go wrong with the up-market pub’s range of classic fare, including Gardener’s Pie served with Montgomery cheddar and grain mustard mash or the beer-battered fish and chips with triple-cooked chips.

298 King’s Road, SW3 5UG, visit thecadoganarms.london

Bōkan 37, Canary Wharf

Take your Easter Sunday celebrations to new heights at sky-high fine-dining restaurant Bōkan 37 on 9 April. Soaring 37 floors above the city in the heart of Canary Wharf, enjoy three delicious courses complemented by bottomless bubbles and panoramic views of London’s iconic skyline. Highlights include spaghetti alla chitarra nest with organic soft egg, John Dory with fennel and white asparagus, and rabbit with mustard sauce and wild garlic pesto. Finish off with the exquisitely-crafted chocolate Easter egg filled with exotic fruit crémeux, coconut mousse and vanilla financier sponge.

40 Marsh Wall, E14 9TP, visit bokanlondon.co.uk

Theo Randall and Alex Webb at InterContinental Park Lane, Hyde Park Corner

InterContinental Park Lane is offering not one, but two delicious options this Easter which have been specially curated by the hotel’s acclaimed chefs. First up: Alex Webb on Park Lane is launching a limited-edition six-course tasting menu especially for Easter Sunday. Inspired by nostalgic flavours from Webb’s childhood, kick off with a champagne cocktail, followed by a series of delectable dishes, such as mini crab scotch egg and a gourmet crumpet with caramelised onion, slow-cooked egg and caviar, before enjoying lamb rump and croquette with courgette purée, pickle and minted lamb jus. Those with a sweet tooth will be pleased to know that there’s a double-dessert course: a fresh lemon meringue tartlet followed by Webb’s own spin on the traditional Easter egg.

If you’d rather celebrate the occasion with a decadent morning affair, allow Theo Randall at the InterContinental to whisk you away to Italy for a luxurious limitless brunch. Bringing the rich gastronomy of Italy to the heart of Mayfair, enjoy a taste for the Med with an antipasti buffet followed by a three-course menu. Pick from marinated Lake District lamb rump with potato, tomatoes, grilled red peppers and lamb jus or sea bass fillet with Datterini tomatoes, capers, Taggiasche olives and slow-roasted Sicilian red peppers. End with a traditional Neapolitan Easter cake and pair your feast with unlimited fizz cocktails, including negroni sbagliato, bellini or Aperol spritz.

One Hamilton Place, Park Lane, W1J 7QY, visit parklane.intercontinental.com and theorandall.com

Vori Greek Kitchen, Holland Park

This authentic Greek neighbourhood restaurant situated on Holland Park Avenue will be celebrating the occasion with a traditional Greek Orthodox feast on 16 April. Greek Easter takes place on the first full moon following Passover and represents the end of the fasting period, making it a significant date in the Greek calendar. In honour of this celebration, Vori has curated a new set menu of traditional Hellenic dishes including Greek Easter eggs, traditional slow-cooked dishes and Ekmek cheesecake.

Kick off the feast with tsougrisma — the traditional Greek game of smashing dyed Easter eggs — before tucking into tzatziki, tirokafteri and melitzanosalata with sourdough. For your main, pick from katsikaki (slow-cooked goat with melting roast potatoes), arni (slow-cooked lamb shank with herb-infused rice) or manitaria (Portobello mushrooms with orange and honey roast potatoes) before indulging in Ekmek cheesecake. To accompany the special feast is a selection of tipples from Hellenic Wineries and award-winning Greek microbreweries. We recommend trying the Greek-inspired cocktail menu, with choices including a unique Peloponnese negroni, Vori margarita and an all-Greek gin and tonic.

120 Holland Park Avenue, W11 4UA, visit vorigreekitchen.co.uk

Benares, Mayfair

Add some spice to your Easter celebrations with a Michelin-starred Indian feast at Benares. Headed by executive chef Sameer Taneja, the special menu is available exclusively on 9 April and features slow-cooked spiced lamb leg, seafood Xec Xec (a traditional Goan crab curry) and nargisi kofta (a clever twist on a scotch egg made with mutton). Finish on a sweet note with the indulgent Easter hot chocolate bombe, which will melt before your eyes.

12a Berkeley Square, W1J 6BS, visit benaresrestaurant.com

The Carlton Tower, Belgravia

The Carlton Tower’s Al Mare restaurant has launched a new seasonal menu inspired by Italy’s rich culinary history just in time for Easter. The light and airy dining room, that’s name translates as ‘at the sea’ in Italian, specialises in succulent seafood dishes — and the Easter menu doesn’t disappoint. Highlights include tartare di tonno, consisting of Mediterranean bluefin tuna, avocado and apple topped with yogurt and Oscietra caviar, tagliolini al limone con tartare di gamberi rossi featuring homemade pasta, Mazara del Vallo shrimps, Amalfi lemon, burrata cheese and oyster leaf, and eliche ai frutti di mare and pesci di scoglio with fresh eliche pasta, a mix of seafood and a rich fish sauce.

For those with a sweet tooth, Al Mare offers a number of beautifully crafted desserts from cioccolato e frutto della passione — a rich chocolate mousse with a soft tropical sorbet — to Italian classic tiramisù, featuring dark chocolate and fresh espresso coffee.

1 Cadogan Place, SW1X 9PY, visit jumeirah.com

Lisboeta, Fitzrovia

Nuno Mendes’ gastronomic Portuguese haven, Lisboeta, is launching its very own Sunday lunch from the first week of April and is perfect for Easter Sunday. Set across three floors, Lisboeta, meaning ‘a person from Lisbon’, celebrates the lifestyle and food of the city Mendes calls home. The Sunday menu features seasonal slow-baked lamb shoulder a padeiron, which has been marinated for 48 hours with white wine and fermented pepper paste, alongside grilled cabbage feijoada with white bean stew, toasted seeds, citrus and herbs. Both delicious mains are served with spring greens, orange, fennel and watercress salad and roasted crushed potatoes. To finish, Mendes’ signature pastel de nata will be on the menu and for those who cannot get enough of the Portuguese delicacy, there’s even a full-sized sharing tart. Could you ask for a better Easter table centrepiece? We think not.

30 Charlotte Street, W1T 2NG, visit lisboeta.co.uk

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